Paste-type dentifrice dispensing toothbrush



Sept. 6, 1955 A. B. VAN HANDEL 2,717,101

PASTETYPE DENTIFRICE DISPENSING TOOTHBRUSH Filed May 4, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ambrose B. Van Handel Sept. 6, 1955 A. a. VAN HANDEL 2,

PASTE-TYPE DENTIFRICE DISPENSING TOOTHBRUSH Filed May 4, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent PASTE-TYPE DENTIFRICE DISPENSING TOOIHBRUSH Ambrose B. Van Handel, North Hollywood, Calif. Application May 4, 1949, Serial No. 91,284

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-80) My invention relates to a. toothbrush having a handle from which apaste-type of dentifrice may be extruded to a point within the bristle area of the brush. I

- An object of my invention is to have a toothbrush with a hollow handle within which a paste-type dentifrice container may be conveniently positioned.

Another object is to provide a dentifrice-dispcnsin toothbrush having a hollow handle within which a dentifrice may be placed, and from which the dentifrice may be extruded into the bristle area.

A further object is to provide a toothbrush having a hollow handle within which a dentifrice containing cartridge or tube may be placed and from which the dentifrice may be extruded into the bristle area of the brush.

A still further object isto provide a toothbrush having a hollow handle adapted to receive a dentifrice containing cartridge or tube, and having a sliding follower adapted to extrnde the dentifrice from within the cartridge or tube to a point in the bristle area of the brush.

An even further object is to provide a toothbrush having a hollow handle within which a dentifrice containing cartridge or tube may be placed and from which cartridge or tube dentifrice may be extruded by advancing a follower; the said follower being advanced progressively as the dentifrice containing cartridge or tube is destroyed.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in horizontal cross-section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a dentifrice containing cartridge;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in cross-section of a modified form; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a dentifrice containing tube adapted for use in the modified form of toothbrush.

The dentifrice dispensing toothbrush is provided with a head portion 10 which has a plurality of tufted bristles 12 arranged in the accepted and conventional manner of bristles for toothbrushes. The tufted head 10 is preferably screw-threaded so that it may be readily secured to and/or removed from a hollow collar 14. The hollow collar 14 is provided with a centrally located bore 16 which, when the head and collar are screwed together, will be in alignment with the bore 18 within the head 10. The bore 18 extends within the area in which the tufted bristles 12 are positioned.

The collar 14 is provided with internal screw-threads which are adapted to screw onto external screw-threads at an end of a hollow handle 20. The hollow handle 20 is preferably tubular in form and may be of any desired length. The handle 20 is provided with a longitudinal slot 22 on one side thereof and through which a thumb contact 24 is attached to a piston 26 positioned within the handle 20. The piston 26 is of such diameter that it may slide with commercial tolerance within a toothpaste 2 containing cartridge 28, which cartridge is preferably cylindrical in form and may be of any suitablemateiia-l such as lead, plastic, or the like.

The cartridge 28 is provided atone end with a suitable nipple 30', and at the other end thereof carries a plunger or follower 32. The cartridge 28 is adapted. to be inserted within the tubular handle 20 and placed in approximately the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. The cartridge 28 is adapted to contain a suitable dentifrice which is packed therein between the nipple 30, and the follower 32.

When in the assembled position as shown in Fig. 2, the piston 26 is held within the handle 20 near the endthereof, remote from the brush head 10. When in this assemblcd'position, the handle 20 is screwed into the collar 14 which provides a screw seat for the brush head 10. Thus the brush is in condition to be used.

By advancing the thumb contact 24 toward the brush head 10, the piston 26 will thus be advanced, and will force the follower 32 forward within the cartridge 28. As the follower 32 is forced forwardly toward the brush 10, dentifrice within the cartridge 28 will be extruded through the nipple 30, the bores 16 and 18, and will be discharged within the area of the, toothbrush bristles 12. At the time that dentifrice is thus extruded, the advancing motion of the thumb contact 24 will cut through the cartridge 28; in view of the fact that the thumb contact 24 is secured to the piston 26 by a. suitable lug 34, having a knife edge 36.

After the dentifrice within the cartridge 28'has been completely extruded, the collar 14 may be unscrewedtrom the handle 20, and the exhausted cartridge may be replaced by a new and properly filled cartridge. After inserting a new cartridge, the handle 20 is again screwed into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, and consequently, the brush is in condition to be used as desired.

By the use of my dentifrice dispensing toothbrush, it may be readily seen that the toothbrush is ready for immediate use as desired, and that the dentifrice to be utilized in conjunction with the brush is always handy, only slightly exposed toair, and may be promptly and conveniently extruded into position for use in conjunction. with the bristles of the brush.

1n the modified form of my device which is shown inFigs. 6 and 7, I provide a collar 50 into which the brush head 10 carrying its bristles 12 may be screwed by means of its standard screw-threads at the end thereof. These screw-threads are adapted to be screwed into the threads 52 provided in the collar 50. A bore hole provided with screw-threads 52, passes completely through the collar 50 so that the brush head 10 may be screwed therein at the outer side, and a dentifricecontaining tube 54, having a conventional screwthreaded tip 56, may be screwed therein on the inner side. After the dentifrice-containing-tube 54 has thus been attached within the collar 50, the hollow handle 20 may be placed over the tube 54, and screwed into the collar 50 as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The tube 54 is provided with a follower 58 which is positioned within the tube near the end thereof remote from the screwthreaded tip 56.

After assembly has been completed as described above, the thumb contact 24 may be advanced, and consequently its attached piston 26 will urge the follower 58 forwardly. Thus dentifrice from the tube 54 will be extruded through the tip 56 into the, bore 18, and to the area of the bristles 12, on the brush head 10. As the thumb contact 24 is thus advanced, the knife edge 36 of the lug 34 will cut through and thereby destroy the tube 54. I

It will be understood that the modified form of the collar 50 may be utilized either with a tube 54 having a conventional screw-threaded tip 56, or may be used with a cartridge 28 provided with an especially formed nipple 39, as described above.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing device, the combination of a hollow handle having a dispensing opening at one end and closed at its opposite end, a dentifrice-containing cartridge having a dispensing opening at one end and open .at its opposite end, the walls of said cartridge being tending from said piston to a point exteriorly of said hollow handle, said knife edge being adapted to cut through the wall of said cartridge as the knife edge is advanced.

2. In a dispensing device, the combination of a hollow handle having a dispensing opening at one end and closed at its opposite end, a tubular dentifrice-containing cartridge having a dispensing opening at one end and open at its opposite end, the walls of said cartridge being of readily severable material, said cartridge being disposed within said handle with its dispensing opening adjacent the dispensing opening of said handle, a cylindrical follower closely fitting within said cartridge, a manually operable elongated piston operably connected to and within said handle in a position to engage said follower, said piston being cylindrical and only slightly smaller in diameter than the follower to receive and confine the wall of said cartridge between said piston and the surrounding wall of said handle, and a thumb contact extending from said piston to a point exteriorly of said hollow handle, said thumb contact being rigidly secured to said piston by a lug having a knife edge traversing the confined wall of said cartridge and extending through a slot in the hollow handle.

3. In a dispensing device, the combination of a hollow handle having a dispensing opening at one end and closed at its opposite end, a tubular dentifrice-containing cartridge having a dispensing opening at one end and open at its opposite end, the walls of said cartridge being of readily severable material, said cartridge being disposed within said handle with its dispensing opening adjacent the dispensing opening of said handle, a cylindrical follower closely fitting within said cartridge, a manually operable elongated piston operably connected to and within said a handle and having a leading end adapted to engage said follower, said piston being cylindrical and only slightly smaller in diameter than the follower to fit within the open end of said cartridge and confine the walls of said cartridge between said piston and the surrounding handle, said piston and said follower having engaging surfaces of relatively large area, and a thumb contact extending from said piston to a point exteriorly of said hollow handle, said thumb contact being rigidly secured to said piston by a lug having a knife edge spaced from the leading end of said piston and extending through a slot in the hollow handle, said knife edge traversing the wall of said cartridge to slit said wall as said follower is moved toward the dispensing end of said cartridge.

4. A dispensing device, comprising: a tubular handle structure having a dispensing opening at one end, closed at its opposite end, and having a longitudinal slit in its side wall, a piston structure including a piston element adapted to slide within said tubular handle structure, an operating button overlying said slit and a web located intermediate the ends of said piston and connecting said piston and button through said slit, said web having a knife edge, a cartridge including a tube element of material readily capable of being slit and having a dispensing opening at one end and open at its opposite end, and a follower set within the open end of said tube element, said cartridge adapted to be inserted within said tubular handle structure with said tube element fitted between and restrained by said piston and surrounding wall of said handle structure, to present the edge of said tube element to said knife edge for ready slitting as said piston is advanced along said cartridge and handle structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 767,469 Ziegler et al Aug. 16, 1904 769,928 Ziegler Sept. 13, 1904 809,419 Belcher Jan. 9, 1906 851,587 Clark Apr. 23, 1907 1,318,928 Shields Oct. 14, 1919 2,128,254 Kile Aug. 30,-1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 747,362 France Mar. 28, 1933 

